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 Topic: Pennine Fiesta Q2+2 (2014) review
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27/5/2014 at 7:22pm
Location: Cumbria
Outfit: Pennine Fiesta Q2+2 (2014)
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Hi all,
We've recently got one of these Trailer tents and thought we would share a review. Enjoy!
Having been fans of my in-law’s Fiesta, (bought in 1990 and still going strong), it was only a matter of time before we took the plunge ourselves and upgraded to a trailer tent.
We bought this because our 4 kids have mostly got bored of coming away with us and the plan was to have a little bit of luxury for ourselves whilst still enjoying the great outdoors. However, the younger two kids suddenly decided they were not too old to come away with us if a) Dad was paying and b) they could sleep in the new Fiesta .
Thanks to the clever and subtle ways they have changed the layout on this model, you now have oodles of space inside, even with two extra bodies on board.
To say we are impressed with this folding camper would be an understatement. The fixtures and fittings are all top-notch and, if the in-law’s Fiesta is anything to go by, built to last.
As you enter the main cabin you are struck immediately by the large space between the two sofas. This is because the left hand sofa has been moved back and is formed from part of the second bed. This really makes a difference inside as you can have the table up and still have room to walk around it. One of the clever innovations, here, is the slots under the right hand seat unit, allowing the table to be pushed right up snug to the sofa gaining even more space in the cabin.
The three burner hob and kitchen unit are all pre-installed so there’s no need to lift them in and out of position and connect fiddly cables as there was with some of the older models. The hob has a perfectly good grill, albeit slightly compact and the sink, whilst small, is fine for a spot of washing up with the hot running water, as long as you don’t let the pile get too high. For bigger meals we filled a spare washing up bowl and made our way to the washing facilities on site but certainly for two, it’s no trouble at all.
Both the sink and the hob have fold down glass screens which double up as work surfaces but due to the added luxury of the toilet in this model, workspace is always at a premium. However, because there is extra space in the cabin, if the kitchen unit is already clogged, you can now have the table up and still have space for food prep whilst the kids stare blindly at their iPods on the other sofa.
The fridge is compact but has enough space for beer and wine – and possibly a few food essentials (it’s all about priorities). It also has an ice-box which freeze the ice packs just fine to go in the cool-bag. (The fridge also runs off gas if you don’t have an electric hook-up).
The loo is definitely a key benefit of the Fiesta Q2+2, especially in the middle of the night when the rain is hammering down outside. Given that the Fiesta is the same size as the Pennine Countryman, it’s amazing they’ve managed to fit the loo in here at all, let alone without you feeling cramped. Very clever design.
Storage space is fine for all the essentials you want to take on camp and if there are just two of you, you don’t have to worry at all about your clothes as you can either use the spare bed for your bags or put them behind the pop-up sofa, if you have it in that configuration. There is a narrow foot locker that provides some space and there is also storage space under the right hand sofa that is not insignificant. Under the cooker is a little limited because that’s where the hot water heater resides but you still have space for a couple of pots and pans but not a lot more. However there are two further cupboards flanking the entrance and we find these useful for plates and glasses and the like as well as a drawer for magazines and maps and other clutter that always seems to accumulate in a drawer!
If there are more than two, though, and you don’t want to put up the cavernous awning, we have found the under-bed skirts that zip on to the fold out sections of the tent to be excellent (and huge) extended storage space. We have invested in a couple of tough plastic crates with lids and we keep non perishable foods or the BBQ or whatever else we need out there. Kids clothes – as long as they are bagged – fit easily under there too, freeing up more space in the tent or the awning.
As far as electrics go, it comes with two normal 13 amp sockets at either end of the tent for those camping essentials of Kettle and Hair-dryer (I am reliably informed the latter really is essential). It also has two 9 volt sockets – like the cigarette lighter sockets you get on cars – which are useful for phone chargers and other gadgets. (These also provide the power when running off the leisure battery if hook-up isn’t available). The 2Kw heater underneath the main seat really packs a punch and you won’t need it on for long in that space. There is also a nice bright light up on the kitchen unit that lights the main cabin as well as a small light at floor level, which is nice when you want something a bit more subtle. We tend to take a small 4-way extension block to give us a few more sockets and plug that in down by the door. We also take a couple more plug in lights, just to make it easier reading in bed or at the far end of the tent. Putting the tent up and down is a piece of cake. You can easily put this tent up on your own but with two of you, it takes about 15-20 mins from pulling up at your pitch to having the kettle on for a brew. A little longer if you are putting the awning up. Packing away again is just as simple and there is a lot of space inside the packed up trailer that you can use to store bags and the like, freeing up more space in the car.
The trailer tent comes with an integral heater that really pumps out the heat and the new acrylic fabric and inner tent sections really do wonders to keep the temperature up on a cold night. On top of that is the bound carpet under your toes and excellent quality sofa’s and beds that really make this a home from home. “Cosy” just doesn’t do it justice. If it’s hot and sunny, though, you can take the whole side off the back of the trailer tent and let the sunshine in! Marvellous!
The only downer we have found is that if you are running on gas (and therefore boiling water on the stove), you do get some condensation on the inside of the tent at that end. You must remember to pull the plastic weather screen down from the window otherwise you will need to wipe this down if you haven’t had your tent open much. In hotter months, this won’t be a problem but those early breaks or last-gasp getaways in the autumn will need a little more diligence from you at the stove.
Towing is an emotive subject. Some people just don’t like doing it. Well let me put your mind at rest; towing this baby is a synch! You even tend to forget it’s there. The trailer is about as wide as the average saloon car – and certainly within the profile of your wing mirrors. On country lanes and motorways, it handles smoothly with no snaking, even at speed. I have mirror extensions but you could see round the trailer without them.
It really is an excellent little trailer tent and with a bit of love and care and the excellent support on hand from Pennine, should see us through the next twenty years quite nicely!
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